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Moral Dilemma (LP episode)
| originaldate = 15th September 2009 GMT-6 | stardate = 51196.3 | year = 2374 | prev = Revenge a Dish Best Served Cold | next = Divided Loyalties }} As the Dominion War is becoming a losing effort, Captain Limis Vircona contemplates whether her use of extreme interrogation methods was justified and will ultimately result in helping Starfleet achieve even a minor victory. :Takes place two week prior to . Summary Stardate 51196.3 The , part of the Seventh Fleet, is fighting in the Battle of Tyra. When the fighting is over, only fourteen of one hundred twelve Starfleet and Klingon vessels survive. Captain Limis Vircona retires to her ready room and begins a personal log asking herself if she has become the enemy she seeks to destroy. Stardate 51189 (Two weeks earlier) For nearly a month, the Seventh Fleet had engaged the Dominion in small-scale hit-and-run battles in the Tyra system. The ''Lambda Paz is in the atmosphere of a gas giant to try to outmaneuver two Jem'Hadar fighters. Both enemy fighters are destroyed thanks, in part, to a daring maneuver suggested by assistant engineer and Limis's former Maquis colleague Erhlich Tarlazzi. Soon afterward, the ship is raided by alien mercenaries consisting of Nausicaans, Breen, and Ferengi. Most of the antimatter tanks and bio-neural gel packs are stolen. At least one crewmember is killed. Security personnel have captured one of the mercenaries, a Cardassian civilian. When Limis confronts him, the Cardassian gives only his name and service number. After giving answers that are obvious lies, he taunts Limis about how he is not on Bajor facing execution and that Starfleet prides itself as too civilized to torture prisoners. Tactical officer Mandel Morrison and flight controller Sara Carson come up with a way to locate the mercenary ship. The ship's course leads it to a Dyson sphere. One of the artificial habitats is a base for Romulan agents who hired the mercenaries. Despite Romulan resistance, away teams from the Lambda Paz are able to retrieve most of the stolen equipment. One of the teams comes across mysterious technology, which Chief Medical Officer Aurellan Markalis determines is used to synthesize Ketracel white. Limis confronts Mirren again, this time placing him in an airlock and decompressing it. He eventually reveals what sector the plant is located in. Mirren then dies soon afterward. Following this incident, first officer Ronnie Kozar relieves Captain Limis of command. A few days later, however, Limis is reinstated when Admiral William Ross recommends that no disciplinary be taken against her. Upon learning of this, Admiral Edward Jellico warns Ross that the decision sets a dangerous precedent. Stardate 51196.32 Limis finishes recording her personal log. All she can do now, she says, is hope her actions pay off in helping the Federation win the war. She then erases the entire log. Memorable quotes -B's maiden voyage ( )}} :"We don’t have phasers and we don’t dare try torpedoes with these gases screwing up their guidance systems." :"Then we try something else, whether that meets with safety protocols or not." :--Morrison and Limis while the ship is playing cat-and-mouse with the Jem'Hadar in the atmostphere of a gas giant. :"The eruption could encompass us." :"Not if we time it properly." :"'Not if we time it properly'. Why didn't I think of that?" :-- Chaz Logan and Erhlich Tarlazzi in reference to a plan to defeat a Jem'Hadar fighter. :"You’re carrying the weight of the Alpha Quadrant on your shoulders." :"That’s one of the short definitions of captain." :-- Tarlazzi and Limis :"I didn’t expect this kind of reaction from you, Ed. Your style of command is one that demands results. You’ve had plenty of dealings with the Cardassians during your career. This is war, Ed. We can’t be distracted with penalizing someone for a petty violation of protocol." :"'Petty violation of protocol'? That’s what you call torturing a man? By letting this slide, you’re basically giving all Starfleet CO’s unlimited freedom to use whatever methods they may deem necessary. And to blazes with the Seldonis Four Convention." :--Admirals William Ross and Edward Jellico regarding Ross's recommendation that no disciplinary action be taken against Limis. Background information Based on elements from and . As was the case with "In the Pale Moonlight", the story flashes back to a series of events that had led the captain to have a guilty conscience. The main story is based upon that of "Anomaly", in which the ship is raided by alien thieves. The search leads the ship to mysterious ancient technology. Further investigation reveals the thieves have information critical to achieving the ship's overall mission. The captain then uses torture to obtain that information from one of the thieves. And that is where the two stories take different turns. In Jonathan Archer's case, the prisoner survives the decompressing of an airlock and is later set free. In Limis Vircona's case, the prisoner dies and she is temporarily relieved of her command for her actions. The story arc that follows from this narrative, in which Gul Enic Hadar has a score to settle with Limis, mirrors the story arc involving Archer and Duras that began in and ended in (as a result of the latter's death). References Characters : Shinar sh'Aqba • Sara Carson • Mirren Hadar • Willis Huckaby • Edward Jellico • Ronnie Kozar • Limis Vircona • Charles H. Logan • Tor Makassa • Aurellan Markalis • Mandel Morrison • William Ross • Rebecca Sullivan Starships and vehicles : Locations : Dyson sphere • Romulan Neutral Zone • Starbase 375 • Tyra system Races and cultures : Breen • Cardassian • Ferengi • Nausicaan • Romulan States and organizations : Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet Seventh Fleet • Starfleet JAG Office Other references : Battle of Tyra • ketracel white Related Deep Space 9 episodes * : The non-aggression treaty between the Dominion and the Romulan Star Empire, first referenced in this episode, is mentioned. * : The opening features the final outcome of the disastrous Battle of Tyra, alluded to in this episode. The ketracel white manufacturing plant mentioned is the one Sisko and company are sent to destroy in this episode, using the Jem'Hadar fighter captured in . External links *Fandom website *Story on Trekbbs Category:Star Trek: Lambda Paz episodes